Rail clamp and brace



Dec. 17, 1929.

W. LEAK RAIL CLAMP AND BRAGE Filed Nov. 22. 1927 MP m {49 m I i V 911% wJ i...

Fatented Dec. 17, 1929 OFFICE WILLIAM LEAK, F CARTHAGE, MISSOURI,ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM V. HATTEN, ONE-EIGHTH T0 JAMES M.ZENDSLEY, AND ONE-EIGHTH TO JOHN E.

ZINN, ALL OF GARTHAGE, MISSOURI CL BRAGE Application filed November 22,1827. Serial No. 235,0?7.

This invention relates to improvements in rail joints and has for anobject the provision of means for connecting the meeting ends ofadjacent 'rail sections to hold said ends against vertical movement andthus eliminate rail connecting bars and rail ends, and consequentpounding of said ends.

For this purpose the invention utilizes clamps which engage the outerfaces of the connecting bars of the joints and the under faces of therail sections in a manner to securely hold the bars in contact with thewalls of the fishing spaces of the rails.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention further includes the following novel features and detailsof construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint equippedwith the present invention Figure 2 is a top plan View of the same.

\ Figure 3 is a section on .the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a slightly modified formof the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of referencedenote corresponding parts, the reference character R indicates themeeting ends of adjacent rail sections which are connected by bars 10.These bars engage the walls of the fishing spaces upon opposite sides ofthe rail web 11. They further engage the under faces 12 of the .heads ofthe rail, as is usual in the construction of rail joints. I

Located centrally upon opposite sides of the meeting ends of the railsections are clamps which contact with the outer faces of the bars 10.These clamps include plates 13 and base portions 14:, the latter beingconnectat ed to the frame by means of inclined portions through the baseportions transversely beneath the rails andact in addition to the usualbolts 19 to securely hold the clamps in position and force theconnecting bars 10 against the walls of the fishing spaces. The upperedges of the bars 10 are provided with ribs 20 whose outer faces areinclined and the upper edges of the plates 13 are similarly inclined andbear against these ribs. The up per edges offthe bars 10 are thus moresecurely forced against the under faces of the rail heads.

In Figure 4 of the drawings, the invention is applied to a rail sectionequipped with angle bars 21. The clamps are arranged in I the mannershown and described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3, except thatthe connecting portions 15 engage the angle bars 21 instead of the railflange. In this form of the invention, the ribs F0 are omitted.

As show in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the clamps occupyapproximately onethird of the length of the connecting bars 10 or theangle bars 21 and are located centrally of the length of these barsdirectly across the meeting ends of the rail sections. The ends of therail sections are thus reinforced and supported at the point of greateststrain occasioned by the passage of wheels across the joint. The railends are thus held against vertical movement and wear upon the connectin bars and consequent pounding and loosening of the joint is thusprevented.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved tomake such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appendedclaim. W

Having described the invention what is claimed is In combination withthe meeting ends of adjacent rail sections, bars located within the 5fishing spaces upon the opposite sides of the rails across said meetingends, and connecting said ends, clamping plates secured upon oppositesides of the rails in contact with the outer side faces of the bars andextending 10 downwardly and inwardly beneath the base of the rail, boltsextending through the web of the rail and the bars and clamping plates,and bolts extending through the downwardly and inwardly extendingportions beneath the 15 rail and connecting the clamping plates.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WHJLIAM LEAK.

